Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven [248]
Hugo gulped. "I've been with the bandits. The New Brotherhood Army."
"Son of a bitch," Deke Wilson said.
"How long?" Al Hardy demanded. He was suddenly alert. "Did you learn anything?"
"Or," Christopher asked, "did you just run the first chance you got?"
"I learned enough to want my damn brain wiped clean," Hugo said, and Harry nodded; it was the strict truth.
"Maybe you'd better tell us," Hardy said. He turned toward the kitchen. "Alice, get us a glass of water."
He's got their attention, Harry thought. Now, goddammit, talk like a man!
"There are over a thousand of them," Hugo said. He watched Deke Wilson flinch at that. "Maybe ten percent are women, maybe more. It doesn't matter much. Most of the women are armed. I couldn't tell who was really in charge. It seems to be a committee. Other than that, they're pretty well organized, but God, they're madder than hatters" This crazy preacher is one of the leaders—"
Deke Wilson broke in. "Preacher? Did they give up cannibalism, then?"
Hugo swallowed and shook his head. "No. The Angels of the Lord have not given up cannibalism."
"I'd better get the Senator." Al Hardy left the room. Alice Cox came in with a glass of water, and looked around uncertainly.
"Just put it down on the table," George Christopher said. "Hugo, you may as well wait to tell your story."
Hugo said, "I told you why I left the Shire. My own land. Mine, dammit! They were giving me twice the work of anyone else. After Hammerfall they said their claim on the land was as good as anybody's, right? All of us equals, just the way I set it up. Well, every damned one of them had to prove he was my equal some way, now they all had the chance."
Nobody answered.
"All I want is work and a place to sleep," Hugo said. He looked around the room. What he saw was not good: Christopher's contempt for a man who couldn't handle his own hands; Deke Wilson afraid to listen, afraid not to; Eileen standing at the door, the spacewoman in her chair, both taking it all in and giving nothing back; Harry looking sour and wondering if he should have brought Hugo after all; Mayor Seitz …
The Mayor stood up suddenly and swung a chair into place. Hugo dropped into it, hard. "Thanks," he whispered. The Mayor silently handed Hugo the glass of water and went back to his own place.
Leonilla spoke softly to Pieter. The room was still and everyone heard the fluid syllables. They looked at her, and she translated. "A meeting of the Presidium," she said. "At least it is as I imagine such meetings must have been. Excuse me."
George Christopher frowned, then took a chair. They waited a few moments longer, and Al Hardy came in leading the Senator. He stopped in the doorway and spoke down the hall. "Alice, could you ride up for Randall? And Mr. Hamner, I think. Better take horses for them."
Senator Jellison wore carpet slippers and a dressing gown over slacks and white shirt, his gray-white hair only partially combed. He came into the room and nodded to everyone, then looked at Harry. "Welcome back," he said. "We were getting worried about you. Al, why hasn't anyone brought Harry a cup of tea?"
"I'll see to it," Hardy said.
"Thank you." Jellison went to his high-backed chair and sat. "Sorry to keep you waiting. They like me to take a nap in the afternoon. Mr. Beck, has anyone made you any promises?"
"Just Harry." The gift of a chair had restored some of Hugo's composure. "I get to leave here alive. That's all."
"All right. Tell your story."
Hugo nodded. "You put Jerry Owen and me on the road, remember? Jerry was mad enough to kill. He talked about … well, revenge, about the seeds of rebellion he'd planted in your men, Mr. Christopher."
George smiled broadly. "They damn near kicked him to death."
"Right, Jerry couldn't move very fast, and I didn't want to go on alone. It was spooky out there. Somebody shot at us once, no warning, just zing! and we ran like hell. We went south because that's the way the road faced, and Jerry wasn't in shape to climb up into